Game sponsor idea

This forum is home to games of all various shapes and sizes. Members are welcome to start and participate in contests on this board.
Post Reply
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Game sponsor idea

Post by bookworm »

I’m putting together a game I want to host in a little bit, and as I was setting up the procedure I had an idea that I would like feedback on to see if there’s any interest.

I thought it would be pretty neat to run it as if it were on tv, so between each round there would be ‘commercial’ breaks. But then I thought why not have actual commercials. People could sponsor the prize money contestants would be playing for, and in return write up a commercial they want played at the break. It would be a cool cross promotion opportunity.

The commercials could be for whatever the sponsor wants, it’s their money they decide. It can be for their own shop or service, so a legitimate advertisement to boost personal business, it could be a PSA for something about the site in general, so there isn’t a direct personal gain but there’s just something they want to bring attention to, or it could even be complete nonsense, just a funny quip or random announcement.

If this idea interests you, continue reading to get a more detailed understanding of how it would work.

The format presented here isn’t absolutely finalized, as far as number of rounds, and other exact figures, but the concept is the same regardless of the specific numbers.
The game will have four regular rounds and a bonus round, so four commercial breaks (R1, break, R2, break, R3, break, R4, break, Bonus R). There is a prize scale (high and low possible winnings) with the possibility of two people winning each game. The figures I’m currently considering are $25 (each) for winning the game but not the bonus round, and $50 (each) for winning the game and the bonus round. So for one game, the minimum possible cost would be $50, and the maximum possible cost would be $100.

Now, since we’re imagining it’s on tv, I plan to run the game in seasons. I’m thinking five games per season. This will determine how sponsors sign up for payments. In addition to the commercials, there will be an option to have a final sponsored announcement at the conclusion of each game. This will be the same for the entire season run, whereas the commercials could change each game. So there are two separate sponsorships for the show, a season sponsor who is advertised each game all season for their payment, and then the commercial sponsors who are advertised once per payment.

So for breaking down the money, we’re looking at season long costs. For one season of five episodes, the minimum cost (if everyone wins the lowest prize possible) is $250 and the maximum cost (if everyone wins the highest prize possible) is $500.
In trying to divide the cost according to advertisement provided, the season sponsor gets more exposure per payment than the individual commercial sponsors, so if someone wanted to do that it would be a slightly higher cost. But that gets confusing when you consider what if someone decides to purchase all four commercials in a show, which is roughly the same exposure, albeit all concentrated on one show instead of having one ad per show all season. But that shouldn’t really be cheaper. So I’m thinking the easiest way to do it, since it’s going to even out in the long run either way, is to split the cost right in half between sponsorship options and then people can just choose what format they want to do based on their available money and the frequency they think is appropriate for whatever they’re advertising.

This means that a full season sponsorship will cost at least $125 and at most $250.
Commercial breakdown is a bit trickier. I’m assuming in doing the math that one person buys only one commercial per season. This of course doesn’t have to be the case, the same person can purchase as many commercials as they wish, but I’m doing it this way so we have the individual numbers to work with.
The commercials will have to collectively put up the other $125-$250, but over the course of the season, not all at once like the season sponsorship does. So with five games a season and four commercials a game, there are 20 commercials per season, so I figure the cost range for one comes to $6.25-$12.50 (it’s further complicated by the winnings fluctuating instead of being one consistent amount).

This now gets into the process of determining the best way to take payment, since it isn’t known ahead of time whether the cost will be the low or high end of the range. It would probably have to be that people pay the high range upfront, in the event it is reached, and at the end of the season are refunded winnings that weren’t paid out, but that seems like a hassle tracking all that so there’s probably a better way. Before I put the thought needed to find that way into this though I wanted to check if this idea was something anyone else even thought would be cool, because if no one would be doing it than all the thought would be for nothing.

So what do you think? Would you be a sponsor if this happens?
Image
User avatar
Agent 86
0x Moderator 0x Admin
0x Moderator 0x Admin
Posts: 3073
Joined: March 2010
Location: Out on a top secret mission!

Post by Agent 86 »

This would be helpful during election. :) I just might sponsor if it happens. Is the smallest sponsor $6.25?
^AIOluver^

Who am I? I'd rather not answer that question, the real question is, "Who are you?". Right now I am trying to think of something witty to put here.. I might not find anything, but that's fine. This block of text should be fine for a signature. Wait, are you still reading this? Why are you reading this? Stop. Seriously.
STOP.
This sentence is true.
The sentence above is false.

I dare you not to read this.
Hey! I said not to read this.
Maybe if I talk like this.
Wait, you still see me? *sighs* I give up.


http://blackgaardscastle.forumotion.com/
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

I hadn’t though about Election campaign ads, but you’re right that is another cool option. It can be whatever people want.

With the current figures, $6.25 would be the smallest available option. It would get you one commercial during one game. But keep in mind that depending on whether the contestants on that game won the high or low prize, the same commercial could cost $12.50 which is why I said it’s complicated, it depends on what happens in the game, you can’t know the exact price beforehand. But you can know that if you’re buying a single commercial, it will not be more than $12.50 whatever happens.
Image
User avatar
SirWhit
I'm finally a No0b
Posts: 725
Joined: May 2014
Location: Buckingham Palace, Planet Mars
Contact:

Post by SirWhit »

I would sponsor one or two commercials, depending on how much cash I have when this is starting and the cost of the commercials.
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

I am completely open to reworking the pay scale, it needs to be something you guys are okay with, not something I arbitrarily set. This will only work if it’s feasible for anyone who wants a commercial to purchase one.

That said, it can’t be too cheap, because it is legitimate advertising, and in the end it does have to cover the game payout, which is a set figure.
But the way we cover that figure can definitely be reworked, if that makes it easier for people. The original idea was just what I first came up with in order to illustrate the concept. It can totally be scrapped if there’s a better way someone can think of.
Image
User avatar
Agent 86
0x Moderator 0x Admin
0x Moderator 0x Admin
Posts: 3073
Joined: March 2010
Location: Out on a top secret mission!

Post by Agent 86 »

Could this be for any game?
^AIOluver^

Who am I? I'd rather not answer that question, the real question is, "Who are you?". Right now I am trying to think of something witty to put here.. I might not find anything, but that's fine. This block of text should be fine for a signature. Wait, are you still reading this? Why are you reading this? Stop. Seriously.
STOP.
This sentence is true.
The sentence above is false.

I dare you not to read this.
Hey! I said not to read this.
Maybe if I talk like this.
Wait, you still see me? *sighs* I give up.


http://blackgaardscastle.forumotion.com/
User avatar
SirWhit
I'm finally a No0b
Posts: 725
Joined: May 2014
Location: Buckingham Palace, Planet Mars
Contact:

Post by SirWhit »

I'm good to sponsor three commercials, spread across the first, third and fourth breaks.
User avatar
Knight Fisher
I fish in the darkness
I fish in the darkness
Posts: 5322
Joined: May 2011

Post by Knight Fisher »

Like tv, it would all depend on what the game is.
To LGBT ToOers: The world is so much wider than your family and church. There are accepting people out there.
Image
User avatar
Agent 86
0x Moderator 0x Admin
0x Moderator 0x Admin
Posts: 3073
Joined: March 2010
Location: Out on a top secret mission!

Post by Agent 86 »

Knight Fisher wrote:Like tv, it would all depend on what the game is.
I was thinking like mafia or something.
^AIOluver^

Who am I? I'd rather not answer that question, the real question is, "Who are you?". Right now I am trying to think of something witty to put here.. I might not find anything, but that's fine. This block of text should be fine for a signature. Wait, are you still reading this? Why are you reading this? Stop. Seriously.
STOP.
This sentence is true.
The sentence above is false.

I dare you not to read this.
Hey! I said not to read this.
Maybe if I talk like this.
Wait, you still see me? *sighs* I give up.


http://blackgaardscastle.forumotion.com/
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

A-ty6 wrote:Could this be for any game?
I suppose it technically could if someone else wanted to adapt it, but I don’t know if it is very feasible to implement in a game other than mine, since mine is being intentionally arranged for it.
Mr. Whit's End wrote:I'm good to sponsor three commercials, spread across the first, third and fourth breaks.
I would actually recommend taking one commercial in three games, it’s likely more coverage that way. Unless they are commercials on three different things that you want plugged in the same time period.
Image
User avatar
SirWhit
I'm finally a No0b
Posts: 725
Joined: May 2014
Location: Buckingham Palace, Planet Mars
Contact:

Post by SirWhit »

Thanks for that. I'll spread them across game 1, 3, and 5.
User avatar
Agent 86
0x Moderator 0x Admin
0x Moderator 0x Admin
Posts: 3073
Joined: March 2010
Location: Out on a top secret mission!

Post by Agent 86 »

I would like to sponsor one commercial (maybe two). On the fourth break of the second game.
^AIOluver^

Who am I? I'd rather not answer that question, the real question is, "Who are you?". Right now I am trying to think of something witty to put here.. I might not find anything, but that's fine. This block of text should be fine for a signature. Wait, are you still reading this? Why are you reading this? Stop. Seriously.
STOP.
This sentence is true.
The sentence above is false.

I dare you not to read this.
Hey! I said not to read this.
Maybe if I talk like this.
Wait, you still see me? *sighs* I give up.


http://blackgaardscastle.forumotion.com/
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

I’ve been doing some brainstorming with Catspaw, and we’ve come up with something that will help a lot of this begin to take shape.
It has been arranged for the season sponsorship to be provided by the administrative team in office at the time of play, from the Town treasury. That is, half of the prize money will be provided from administration funds, just as if it were a Team run event, except that it’s run by me. So the Team is essentially getting a bonus event in their Term that they don’t have to have anything to do with other than provide this portion of the prize money. This is to be an automatic arrangement (as long as the game is running) for each Team that comes to office, so I can count on that portion always being taken care of.

This makes details of overall game format easier to lay down. It sets the game on a schedule. With the admins providing prize money, each season now corresponds with a Term, so we’d have one season each Election cycle. I think that will probably work out to be a good fit, estimating how long it will run with five games a season.

It also clarifies a bit what I’m attempting to put together here. The vision is not just to throw up another user run game that goes for a bit as a one time thing just for fun. I’m attempting to create a new Town event. A permanent fixture that has scheduled occurrences citizens look forward to on our calendar. Like the Fall Festival for example. Something that happens because it’s part of our routine.

This is going to be the Town’s official game show, running on Odyssey 105 in regular airings. The administration grant will provide the ability to keep it going, the user purchased commercials will provide the reason to keep it going. It’s a community event for mutual awareness, advertising, and fun.
Image
User avatar
SirWhit
I'm finally a No0b
Posts: 725
Joined: May 2014
Location: Buckingham Palace, Planet Mars
Contact:

Post by SirWhit »

Sounds exciting! I'll sponsor three commercials on the second break of games 1, 3, and 5.
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

I’m not taking specific orders yet, this is still some time away from becoming reality. There are many things to work out. This is good progress though.

In light of the arrangement of the administrative grant, I’ve solved the problem of the uncertain price range. I will set the cost of a commercial at the minimum price, and if it ends up going over that because one or more contestants win the bonus, I will make up the difference myself rather than attempt to determine how to disperse it amongst the commercial buyers.

That allows the figures to become much clearer. The range still remains for the season sponsorship, because it’s covered either way by the grant, but for commercials we can get to a fixed number.
In the current format one commercial will cost $6.25
With four commercials a game and five games a season, commercial revenue will be a fixed $125 each season, which covers the uninsured half of prize money if each contestant only wins the guaranteed prize amount. If they go on to win the bonus I will cover that additional figure myself as I said.

So I believe all the financial details are worked out. I’ll start thinking about how to facilitate the actual commercial purchasing process and putting together the actual game.
Image
User avatar
Agent 86
0x Moderator 0x Admin
0x Moderator 0x Admin
Posts: 3073
Joined: March 2010
Location: Out on a top secret mission!

Post by Agent 86 »

Ok, so now I would like to sponsor another so now I would like doing, Break 4, (2nd Game). And Break 1, (3rd Game).
^AIOluver^

Who am I? I'd rather not answer that question, the real question is, "Who are you?". Right now I am trying to think of something witty to put here.. I might not find anything, but that's fine. This block of text should be fine for a signature. Wait, are you still reading this? Why are you reading this? Stop. Seriously.
STOP.
This sentence is true.
The sentence above is false.

I dare you not to read this.
Hey! I said not to read this.
Maybe if I talk like this.
Wait, you still see me? *sighs* I give up.


http://blackgaardscastle.forumotion.com/
User avatar
SirWhit
I'm finally a No0b
Posts: 725
Joined: May 2014
Location: Buckingham Palace, Planet Mars
Contact:

Post by SirWhit »

Is anything planned yet?
User avatar
bookworm
ToO Historian
ToO Historian
Posts: 16248
Joined: July 2006
Contact:

Post by bookworm »

No, this is still a long way out from becoming a reality.
Image
Post Reply